Cells have a relief valve that keeps them from swelling so much that they burst.

For the past 30 years, scientists have been trying to pinpoint the molecule that controlled the valve. Now, a team says they have found the protein and gene, called SWELL1, which helps prevent cells from popping.

The result, which appears April 10 in Cell, could help scientists’ understanding of immune deficiency, stroke and diabetes, the team suggests.